Motorists driving through the Tourond Creek development at St. Adolphe will need to get used to a lower speed limit.

That is because Council for the RM of Ritchot has approved reduced speed limits in several residential areas within the municipality, including Tourond Creek. 

"This is a bylaw change that's going to improve speed limits in residential areas," says Ritchot Mayor Chris Ewen. "The main one that was thoroughly looked at was in the St. Adolphe area, the Tourond Creek development."

Ewen says within that development the speed limit will be dropping from 50 to 30 kilometres per hour. He notes this is what residents in that area have been asking for.

"We saw residents come and host delegations a couple of times about that specific region," he says. "And the safety concerns that they had with children playing in the area, vehicles going too fast."

He notes residents felt that a lower speed limit would improve the ability of children to play safely in their yards. Ewen says residents also felt that this would provide a safer community. 

Ewen says he has not heard of any close calls with potential collisions in that development. However, he says the residents did their due diligence by collecting signatures on petitions and presenting their concerns to Council. 

"So, after Council listened to the delegation, and we reviewed the zone completely, Council as a whole thought it would make sense to go with 30 kilometres per hour," notes Ewen.

The result was not unanimous. In fact, it was Ewen who voted against it. Ewen says he does not believe that this is a speed issue, but rather an issue of monitoring the speed.

"We need to see more police presence," he says. "I've said that from day one as Mayor."

Ewen says they need to see more of the RCMP in their communities and down their residential roads, monitoring speed limits. 

"Because if they are there watching that 50 kilometre per hour zone, I can guarantee you that it's going to be a lot safer of an area for sure," adds Ewen.

But, having said that, Ewen says because the majority of Council voted in favour of reducing the speed limit, he will stand behind that decision.

According to Ewen, because the changes are on municipal roads, this does not require any approvals from the province. He expects the new signage to be erected in the coming weeks.